The invention relates broadly to anti-skid supports for maintaining a person in a specified posture, and relates more specifically to yoga equipment and methods for performing yoga.
Yoga, its name derived from a Sanskrit word meaning xe2x80x9cunionxe2x80x9d, is a practice involving intense concentration, coupled with prescribed postures and/or controlled breathing. Yoga originated over 5,000 years ago in India. Over recent decades, it has achieved increasing popularity worldwide, as a method of physical-discipline and health maintenance, a body-oriented therapy, and/or a spiritual discipline. Practitioners of yoga (referred to yogis, if male, or as yoginis, if female) often make yoga a regular practice in their lives, spending time daily or several times a week in its performance.
Yoga is often performed in groups, on surfaces such as wood floors, linoleum, tile floors, or carpeting. In addition, individual practitioners often perform yoga activities in their homes or offices, or while on travel, such as in hotel rooms.
Yoga mats or rugs are often used to prevent slipping of a yoga practitioner while attaining and maintaining specified yoga postures. Such postures may involve pressing or pushing with the hands and feet against a floor and/or a wall. It will be appreciated that mats or rugs may help prevent slippage of the practitioner when attaining or maintaining a yoga posture, thus allowing the practitioner to concentrate on proper yoga practice. In addition, yoga mats or rugs may provide insulation from a cold floor surface. Further, yoga mats or rugs may allow a uniform tactile environment for the practitioner, providing a similar interface surface regardless of the floor material where the practitioner performs yoga. Typical mats may be rubber mats approximately 0.25-0.5 inches (3-6 mm) thick.
One disadvantage of yoga mats and rugs is their bulkiness. Such bulkiness makes it a hardship to carry a yoga mat or rug either locally, such as to a yoga class or session, or while the practitioner is on travel.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that improvements in yoga performance equipment would be desirable.
According to an aspect of the invention, a glove includes a fabric portion having a fabric exterior surface throughout; and an anti-skid portion having an anti-skid exterior surface throughout. The fabric portion is connected to the anti-skid portion. The fabric portion includes a dorsal part. The anti-skid portion includes an outer thumb part.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of performing yoga includes the steps of placing a pair of gloves on respective hands of a yoga practitioner, wherein the gloves each includes a glove anti-skid portion; and having the yoga practitioner assume a yoga position. The having includes placing the glove anti-skid surfaces in contact with a rigid surface.
A yoga support system includes a pair of yoga gloves and a pair of yoga slippers. The yoga gloves and the yoga slippers are configured for use simultaneously by a yoga practitioner to prevent slipping by the yoga practitioner. Each of the gloves includes a glove fabric portion; and a glove anti-skid portion connected to the glove fabric portion. The glove fabric portion is connected to the glove anti-skid portion. Each of the yoga slippers includes a slipper fabric portion having a slipper fabric exterior surface throughout; and a slipper anti-skid portion with a slipper anti-skid exterior surface throughout. The slipper anti-skid portion is connected to the slipper fabric portion. The slipper anti-skid portion includes a sole part, and a pair of side parts overlying both sides of the foot of a user.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.